10 MORE Myths People with Autism Are Tired of Hearing

A. Stout

By A. Stout

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A few years ago, we shared with you ten things people with autism are sick and tired of hearing. Unfortunately, there are a lot more than ten myths about autism that continue to linger in society. So for the sake of commiserating with those frustrating myths and further educating the world about autism, we’re going to break down another ten myths and bits of misinformation people continue to hold about ASD.

Share this list as far as you can—understanding and acceptance is the REAL cure the autism community needs.

10. You should talk down to people who are nonverbal; otherwise they won’t understand you.

Many seem to be under the impression that if an individual is non-speaking, they are not intelligent or “not completely there.” That, paired with the first impressions people may get of those on the severe end of the spectrum—including odd behaviors and flat affect—further cements this false idea in people’s minds. As a result, many people with nonverbal autism find themselves—irritatingly!—infantilized and patronized.

Perhaps the reason why this happens so often is because people tend to think expressive language and receptive language—the ability to speak and the ability to understand, respectively—are mutually exclusive. They are not. Many with nonverbal autism are unable to speak but can understand what is said. And even if they don’t, it’s far more respectful to assume they totally get everything you say. So please talk to them like you would talk to anyone else of the same age. And please, please, please—if they are within earshot, NEVER talk about them as if they are not in the room.

9. Children with autism grow out of it.

There are some rare cases of children with autism “losing their symptoms” to the point where they’re no longer considered to have it. But even those cases are questionable, and autism is a lifelong disorder for most individuals. This makes sense if you know that people with autism have a different neurological wiring than neurotypical people do. As many on the spectrum say, autism is a fundamental part of who they are. They may learn to “pass” as neurotypical, but their brains remain autistic.

8. People with autism are all violent and a danger to others.

This myth is likely borne from the equally dangerous myth that people with autism do not have empathy or compassion for others. As a result, those who believe this myth think people with autism are “cold, calculating killing machines with no regard for human life.” (And yes, those were the actual words of a formerly existing Facebook page called “Families Against Autistic Shooters.”)

In reality, there is absolutely zero evidence that people on the spectrum are more likely to be the perpetrators of violent crime. In fact, they’re much more likely to be the victims of abuse. Furthermore, people with autism do have empathy and compassion for others—perhaps, as evidence is beginning to indicate, even more so than the general neurotypical population!

However, a number of people with autism do display aggressive behaviors, mostly toward caregivers. But there are reasons for the behaviors—they may be trying to communicate or may feel frustrated, scared, or overwhelmed. There’s no question that this behavior can be frightening and frustrating, but it is typically not done out of malice.

7. You can tell someone has autism just by looking at them.

Many autism parents and people on the spectrum hear a variation of this phrase way too often: “But s/he doesn’t look like s/he has autism!” This confusion probably stems from the fact that some other disorders—most notably Down Syndrome—do tend to express certain physical features. Autism, however, is not one of them. People with autism look like anyone else. The only way you can tell is by their behavior, or if they or someone else tells you they’re on the spectrum.

6. People with autism are intellectually disabled.

On the other side of the myth about savantism, there’s the myth that all people on the spectrum experience intellectual disabilities. Some certainly do, but not all—perhaps not even most. Previous statistics have estimated that 70 to 80 percent of individuals with autism have an intellectual disability, but experts say there is very poor evidence that the rates are truly that high. In addition, it is believed that we’ve been incorrectly measuring intelligence in people with autism. Our most commonly used intelligence test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, is largely verbal, putting people with autism at an instant disadvantage. Naturally, then, they tend to do poorly. But when given intelligence tests that are better suited to their abilities, many receive average or above average scores.

Check out the next page to see even more autism myths debunked!

A. Stout received a Bachelor of Arts in Writing through Grand Valley State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2015. In addition to being a passionate autism advocate, she is a member of various fandoms, a study abroad alumna, and an animal lover. She dreams of publishing novels and traveling all over the world someday.